Trade plate holders?
Discussion
though 
- I know that many tend to ignore the laws and just chuck them in windows but I'd rather not run like that Toaster Pilot said:
I need a set of trade plate holders - they seem to be ridiculously expensive (£50+) on eBay and lots of them are fitted with suction cups for use inside a vehicle which isn't legal
Where can I get the ones from preferably for less money that hang on the outside?
Why do you say that putting them inside is illegal. I have had a driver stopped for covering the number plates and he was told that was illegal and the vehicles own reg no must be "clearly visible"! There seems to be a lot of confusion regarding this and the new road tax laws are only going to confuse matters more with enforcement being left to ANPR cameras.Where can I get the ones from preferably for less money that hang on the outside?
I have a set of 'magnetic' trade plate holders that you could have for the price of postage. New and still boxed, they date from the '80's. It's a plastic 'plinth' that the plate is attached to and the magnets hold the assembly to the bonnet.
The downside is that the paint could be scratched if the holder moves, so a piece of cloth under the magnets is advised.
The downside is that the paint could be scratched if the holder moves, so a piece of cloth under the magnets is advised.
patrogerson said:
Why do you say that putting them inside is illegal. I have had a driver stopped for covering the number plates and he was told that was illegal and the vehicles own reg no must be "clearly visible"! There seems to be a lot of confusion regarding this and the new road tax laws are only going to confuse matters more with enforcement being left to ANPR cameras.
The rules explicitly state that the VRM of the vehicle must not be on display alongside the trade licencethreespires said:
I have a set of 'magnetic' trade plate holders that you could have for the price of postage. New and still boxed, they date from the '80's. It's a plastic 'plinth' that the plate is attached to and the magnets hold the assembly to the bonnet.
The downside is that the paint could be scratched if the holder moves, so a piece of cloth under the magnets is advised.
Very kind offer and I am very interested, if you'd like to PM me details of how much the postage will cost and how you'd like to be paid I'll sort it out The downside is that the paint could be scratched if the holder moves, so a piece of cloth under the magnets is advised.
These are the Trade Plate Holders that I have. A plastic plinth with magnetic strip which attaches it to the bodywork.
A good idea, but in practice not so good.
If they move on the bonnet, then there is the likelihood of them scratching the paint. This has happened to me with another set I had. I used to put some cloth underneath, this protects the paint but adds to the likelihood of them falling off.
They will not work with alloy or fibreglass.
The rear plate is awkward to fix onto hatchbacks.
Fear that the front one might be blown off at speed, possibly scratching the paint & loss of the trade plate itself.
So if you are still interested, then the offer still stands, but the fact that I got them in the early '80's and they are unused owing to the above cautions, then this might steer you to looking at another method of attaching your trade plates.
Contacta Trade Plate Holders
A good idea, but in practice not so good.
If they move on the bonnet, then there is the likelihood of them scratching the paint. This has happened to me with another set I had. I used to put some cloth underneath, this protects the paint but adds to the likelihood of them falling off.
They will not work with alloy or fibreglass.
The rear plate is awkward to fix onto hatchbacks.
Fear that the front one might be blown off at speed, possibly scratching the paint & loss of the trade plate itself.
So if you are still interested, then the offer still stands, but the fact that I got them in the early '80's and they are unused owing to the above cautions, then this might steer you to looking at another method of attaching your trade plates.
Contacta Trade Plate HoldersEdited by threespires on Saturday 30th August 18:34
Toaster Pilot said:
The rules explicitly state that the VRM of the vehicle must not be on display alongside the trade licence
No one seems to know. I got stopped about a year ago because I had covered up the plates! Then, about 6 months ago I got stopped for having no rear plate (the front was in the windscreen and the rear had fallen off the parcel shelf) and got fined (fixed penalty) £50 for not displaying an index plate. I paid the fine and them about a month later got a letter saying "they were no longer proceeding" followed by a £30 cheque. Two weeks later I got another cheque for £20.Bizarre.
Toaster Pilot said:
The rules explicitly state that the VRM of the vehicle must not be on display alongside the trade licence
Very true, the rules are that you must cover the plates on the vehicle. You can't display both a set of trade plates and the cars actual number plate. The old way, which we've all done at some point, of just throwing the plates on the dash board and the rear parcel shelf have gone I'm afraid. The new ANPR cameras which are now cropping up everywhere, and look very different to what they were only a few months ago, need to read the trade plate clearly displayed on (the outside of) the vehicle. The new ANPR vans are a lot smaller and discrete, they don't have those little camera tripods sat in front of the vans anymore, they're roof mounted now.I had one customer hang his trade plate at the top of one of the doors on the back of a Transit van. He got an £80 spot fine and a threat to have his trade plates taken off him as he hadn't covered the number plate on the vehicle, which was at the bottom of the rear door. I'm guessing that a strip of gaffer tape to obscure the plate would've alleviated the problem.
We stopped selling the magnetic type of trade plate holder many years ago, due to multiple issues of paint being scratched and plastic bumpers etc. We've also had problems with the plastic version as linked above, which we've also had scratch paintwork. You can buy protective pads, but they don't come with them, so you need to factor those into the price.
We've found the most successful versions of trade plate holders are the heavy-weight rubber style, previously known as the Dunlop holders, and the suction type. The suction type do have an emergency strap in case it should fall off, and replacement suckers are available if you manage to damage it.
As for the rumours of the law changing with regards the use of trade plates, it seems that's a bit of Chinese whispers. The rumour was that all dealers were going to have to register themselves as owners of all their stock, and therefore either tax them or SORN them. Whilst I don't put anything past the DVLA, it's not looking very likely!
Display of Trade Plates is regulated by DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) ‘DVSA Enforcement Sanctions Policy’
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa...
which allocates codes to offences and describes how UK and non UK operators or drivers are to be penalised and references relevant UK legislation by which the DVSA is empowered to impose each penalty.
In order to describe which components of UK law are relevant to Trade Plates reverse from the DVSA enforcement sanctions into the relevant UK legislation to find the starting point is to note DVSA Enforcement Sanctions Policy’ document offence code 3-9 on page 93
Offence 3-9 instructs that where Trade Plates are in a vehicle but not displayed correctly a £50 fixed penalty is to be applied.
An ‘otherwise than above’ phrase instructs that code 3-5 should be used for all other instances where a Trade Licence is not displayed. Offence code 3-5 dictates under this offence the fine is set at 5 x duty, therefore 5 x the Trade Plate licence fee (set currently at £165 therefore the fine is £825. One instance falling under this ‘catch all’ is where a vehicle is claimed to be driven on the public highway 'under Trade Plates’ but where Trade Plates are neither in the vehicle nor displayed externally.
PLS code 3-9 is referanced to ‘The Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 1971’ (now superseded by the 2001 revised act) within which Part VII, article 42 is headed ‘Display of general registration mark of holder of a trade licence and exhibition of licence’ as the legal instrument by which offenders may be prosecuted....
42 (1) Where a vehicle is in use under a trade licence the general registration mark assigned to the holder of a trade licence shall be displayed on the vehicle in the manner specified in paragraph (2).
42 (2) The trade plates issued by the Secretary of State shall be fixed to and displayed on the vehicle in such a manner that, if the general registration mark assigned to the holder were a registration mark assigned to the vehicle, the provisions of regulations 5 and 6 of the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001(a) (the “2001 Regulations”) would be complied with, notwithstanding the vehicle may not have been first registered on or after the relevant date, as defined in regulation 2(1) of the 2001 Regulations, or it is a works truck (as defined by paragraph 4(6) of Schedule 1 to the 1994 Act) or an agricultural machine (as defined by regulation 2(1) of the 2001 Regulations) or a road roller.
42(3) The prescribed manner of exhibiting a trade licence on a vehicle for the purposes of section 33(1)(b) of the 1994 Act is that specified in paragraph 42(4).
Author note, in 42 (3) the word ‘licence’ refers to the now defunct paper licence which historically was inserted into the front Trade plate triangle. 42 (3) is now irrelevant.....as is the following article 42(4) for the same reason.
...therefore, the legislation dictating how a Trade Plate should be displayed is ‘The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001, which states (irrelevant sections deleted)....
Fixing of rear registration plates: vehicles registered on or after the relevant date
5 (1) This regulation applies to vehicles, other than works trucks, road rollers and agricultural machines, first registered on or after the relevant date.
5 (2) A registration plate must be fixed on the rear of —
(a) the vehicle, or
(b) where the vehicle is towing a trailer, the trailer, or
5 (3) Where a vehicle (or, in a case where the plate is required to be fixed on a trailer, that trailer) has been constructed so as to satisfy the requirements of the relevant type-approval directive, whether or not it is required by law to satisfy them, the plate may be fixed in the space provided in accordance with those requirements but if it is not so fixed it must be fixed in the manner required by paragraph (5).4
5 (4) Except as provided in paragraph (3) the plate must be fixed in the manner required by paragraph (5).5
5 (5) This paragraph requires the plate to be fixed—
(a) vertically or, where that is not reasonably practicable, in a position as close to the vertical as is reasonably practicable, and
(b) in such a position that in normal daylight the characters of the registration mark are easily distinguishable from every part of a relevant area having the diagonal length specified in paragraph (6).
5 (6) The diagonal length of the relevant area is—
(b) in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is 50 millimetres, 21.5 metres,
Fixing of front registration plates: vehicles registered on or after the relevant date
6. (1) This regulation applies to vehicles (section here deleted) first registered on or after the relevant date.
6 (2) Except as provided in paragraph 5 (Author note, this statement is a little unclear and is understood to mean the entire section 5 relating to rear number plate regulations) a registration plate must be fixed on the front of the vehicle in the manner required by paragraph (3).
6 (3) This paragraph requires the plate to be fixed—
(a) vertically or, where that is not reasonably practicable, in a position as close to the vertical as is reasonably practicable,
(b) in such a position that in normal daylight the characters of the registration mark are easily distinguishable from every part of a relevant area having the diagonal length specified in paragraph 6 (4)
6 (4) The diagonal length of the relevant area is—
(b) in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is 50 millimetres, 21.5 metres
My conclusion regarding the correct Trade Plate Display is therefore....
Trade Plates must be affixed to the front and rear of the vehicle.....(thus satisfying The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 article 5 (2) (a)).....and fitted in the position designated for the purpose of displaying a number plate (thus satisfying article 5 (3)) and most likely to be covering vehicle number plates)
or alternatively
Trade Plates must be mounted as near vertical as is practical..... (to satisfy article 5 (5) (a) and 6 (3)) ....and viewable as per article 5 (6) (b) and 6 (4) (b) therefore the Trade Plate will readable from any point on a 21.5 metre radius as referenced from the vehicle centre line. (21.5 metres because Trade Plate digits are 50mm wide)
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa...
which allocates codes to offences and describes how UK and non UK operators or drivers are to be penalised and references relevant UK legislation by which the DVSA is empowered to impose each penalty.
In order to describe which components of UK law are relevant to Trade Plates reverse from the DVSA enforcement sanctions into the relevant UK legislation to find the starting point is to note DVSA Enforcement Sanctions Policy’ document offence code 3-9 on page 93
Offence 3-9 instructs that where Trade Plates are in a vehicle but not displayed correctly a £50 fixed penalty is to be applied.
An ‘otherwise than above’ phrase instructs that code 3-5 should be used for all other instances where a Trade Licence is not displayed. Offence code 3-5 dictates under this offence the fine is set at 5 x duty, therefore 5 x the Trade Plate licence fee (set currently at £165 therefore the fine is £825. One instance falling under this ‘catch all’ is where a vehicle is claimed to be driven on the public highway 'under Trade Plates’ but where Trade Plates are neither in the vehicle nor displayed externally.
PLS code 3-9 is referanced to ‘The Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 1971’ (now superseded by the 2001 revised act) within which Part VII, article 42 is headed ‘Display of general registration mark of holder of a trade licence and exhibition of licence’ as the legal instrument by which offenders may be prosecuted....
42 (1) Where a vehicle is in use under a trade licence the general registration mark assigned to the holder of a trade licence shall be displayed on the vehicle in the manner specified in paragraph (2).
42 (2) The trade plates issued by the Secretary of State shall be fixed to and displayed on the vehicle in such a manner that, if the general registration mark assigned to the holder were a registration mark assigned to the vehicle, the provisions of regulations 5 and 6 of the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001(a) (the “2001 Regulations”) would be complied with, notwithstanding the vehicle may not have been first registered on or after the relevant date, as defined in regulation 2(1) of the 2001 Regulations, or it is a works truck (as defined by paragraph 4(6) of Schedule 1 to the 1994 Act) or an agricultural machine (as defined by regulation 2(1) of the 2001 Regulations) or a road roller.
42(3) The prescribed manner of exhibiting a trade licence on a vehicle for the purposes of section 33(1)(b) of the 1994 Act is that specified in paragraph 42(4).
Author note, in 42 (3) the word ‘licence’ refers to the now defunct paper licence which historically was inserted into the front Trade plate triangle. 42 (3) is now irrelevant.....as is the following article 42(4) for the same reason.
...therefore, the legislation dictating how a Trade Plate should be displayed is ‘The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001, which states (irrelevant sections deleted)....
Fixing of rear registration plates: vehicles registered on or after the relevant date
5 (1) This regulation applies to vehicles, other than works trucks, road rollers and agricultural machines, first registered on or after the relevant date.
5 (2) A registration plate must be fixed on the rear of —
(a) the vehicle, or
(b) where the vehicle is towing a trailer, the trailer, or
5 (3) Where a vehicle (or, in a case where the plate is required to be fixed on a trailer, that trailer) has been constructed so as to satisfy the requirements of the relevant type-approval directive, whether or not it is required by law to satisfy them, the plate may be fixed in the space provided in accordance with those requirements but if it is not so fixed it must be fixed in the manner required by paragraph (5).4
5 (4) Except as provided in paragraph (3) the plate must be fixed in the manner required by paragraph (5).5
5 (5) This paragraph requires the plate to be fixed—
(a) vertically or, where that is not reasonably practicable, in a position as close to the vertical as is reasonably practicable, and
(b) in such a position that in normal daylight the characters of the registration mark are easily distinguishable from every part of a relevant area having the diagonal length specified in paragraph (6).
5 (6) The diagonal length of the relevant area is—
(b) in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is 50 millimetres, 21.5 metres,
Fixing of front registration plates: vehicles registered on or after the relevant date
6. (1) This regulation applies to vehicles (section here deleted) first registered on or after the relevant date.
6 (2) Except as provided in paragraph 5 (Author note, this statement is a little unclear and is understood to mean the entire section 5 relating to rear number plate regulations) a registration plate must be fixed on the front of the vehicle in the manner required by paragraph (3).
6 (3) This paragraph requires the plate to be fixed—
(a) vertically or, where that is not reasonably practicable, in a position as close to the vertical as is reasonably practicable,
(b) in such a position that in normal daylight the characters of the registration mark are easily distinguishable from every part of a relevant area having the diagonal length specified in paragraph 6 (4)
6 (4) The diagonal length of the relevant area is—
(b) in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is 50 millimetres, 21.5 metres
My conclusion regarding the correct Trade Plate Display is therefore....
Trade Plates must be affixed to the front and rear of the vehicle.....(thus satisfying The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 article 5 (2) (a)).....and fitted in the position designated for the purpose of displaying a number plate (thus satisfying article 5 (3)) and most likely to be covering vehicle number plates)
or alternatively
Trade Plates must be mounted as near vertical as is practical..... (to satisfy article 5 (5) (a) and 6 (3)) ....and viewable as per article 5 (6) (b) and 6 (4) (b) therefore the Trade Plate will readable from any point on a 21.5 metre radius as referenced from the vehicle centre line. (21.5 metres because Trade Plate digits are 50mm wide)
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff